Batman: Outbreak
by FryConfesses
Summary: Alternate Nolan Universe. Goes from the end of Batman Begins, and then goes AU from there.  When the criminals gain prominence under a mysterious figure, and the Joker isn't at the head, Batman has to investigate.


**A/N: This is a Alternate Universe story which takes off from where _Batman Begins_, but it is (obviously not) canon. I obviously don't own Batman because he belongs to DC and Warner Brothers and obviously the characters involved are those in the Nolanverse.**

**A bit about me: I've started writing Fan Fiction in the Torchwood community, writing another alternate Universe story called _Excalibur_. This idea just came to me - and the reason why I haven't included the Joker in this that there are so many decent interpretations of him, I wasn't convinced that it wouldn't be good.**

**

* * *

**

The Batsignal glowed brightly into the dark Gotham City sky, penetrating the dark gathering storm clouds, with light drizzle falling over the ruined Narrows, that had been lost just two weeks earlier. The newly appointed Head of the Major Crimes Unit, Lieutenant Jim Gordon stood in the light rain, without an umbrella, waiting for "The Bat Man" as criminals were calling him down on the street. Gordon had never seen anything so remarkable as to see the scum of the city running scared. Gordon knew deep down that it could not last, that the criminals would recover – as could be seen by this clown freak. He looked over towards Wayne Tower – the unofficial centre of Gotham, where he could still see the reconstruction work on the monorail tower he had destroyed during the attack on the city.

Gordon was so lost in his own thoughts that he did not hear the quiet hiss of a grapple and the tingle as the hook dug in to some pipes on the rope and the cowled figure land on the edge of the rooftop behind him. Gordon turned and almost let out a small yelp as he saw Batman, but he was used to it by now and he flicked the switch on the side of the flash light.

"Works almost as well as a pager," Gordon remarked lightly, "except without the consistency."

"I've been following up leads on the Joker. I can't find him at the moment, Lieutenant, I'm afraid he's managed to disappear into the Underworld for a while," Batman replied.

"Well, I'm sure he'll let us know through his handy calling cards when he decides to re-emerge. When he does, we'll get him, eventually. Any signs of Crane, or any of the other high security prisoners from Arkham?"

"I ran into Doctor Crane, or Scarecrow, last night, still peddling his wares into innocent civilians. I did my best to stop them, and the drugs I found have been destroyed. However, he is still active as of this point. Falcone's body washed up with signs of a struggle, it seemed to be Crane's handiwork as well."

"Well, I know you've got a lot on your plate, so I hesitate to bring this forward with you…" Gordon started, looking at the masked figure;, who seemed to tilt his head to indicate that he was listening. "He's another guy with the taste for the theatrical – seeing as the Joker has gone into hiding; it would suggest that this guy is trying to establish himself as the Head of the Mob. He too, is going around and leaving a calling card." Gordon stated, as in a see-through plastic bag, he passed a black, shiny card into the gloved hands. Batman stared the layout, as it was set out like a trading card, with a picture in a box above, underneath labelling himself as The Wizard.

"I'll check it out. If he's more visible, it might be easier for us to take him down than the Joker."

Gordon moved to look over the city, with Batman moving alongside him. "Be careful. He's homicidal. His first victim was the wife of the ex-Mayor, William Mendes. He's highly resourceful…" but as Jim Gordon turned around, Batman had gone. As if on cue, there was a flash of lightning, and a rumble of thunder

**Three weeks earlier**

The police car whizzed past Carver, zigzagging through traffic, as he stood, casually reading the paper on the steps to a block of apartment on 54th Street. It was starting to approach dusk, and Gotham City was in the midst of a rush hour, and the traffic seemed to grumpily part. Once the police car was out of sight and earshot, then he casually walked down an alleyway between 54th and 55th Street, near the abandoned Industrial sector of Gotham City, then slipped in through a huge corrugated iron door. Then, walking up the steps to the first floor of the abandoned warehouse, and walking along the walkway, he found his gang of four in the run down office, where there, around a bashed up old picnic table, sat his gang.

"What the hell happened to the Clown?" Mugsy, the convict who had recently escaped from Arkham, barked.

"I lost him, I thought the cops got him?" Carver replied defensively. "If not, I thought he'd have come back here!"

"Maybe he's left us, clearly we're not bringing in enough dough," Another one, Frank Riddout, a young man in his early 20s stated, in his thick Brooklyn accent. His father, sitting next to him, Martin, a man in his late 40s or early 50s, with greying hair, nodded his head at the statement.

Carver kicked over three cardboard boxes, which spilled out bags of drugs. "It's because of that SHIT that we stole from that Doctor in the Narrows. I knew that it was a bad idea to take it. Ever since that, our luck has gone from bad to worse. Falcone wound up dead. The Clown ended up missing."

"Well, gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce…" stated Jon Richards, who had remained silent and unmoved up until now, "…our luck is changing. May I introduce you to The Wizard!"

A man walked through a connecting door from the office to the gantry to the office, clad in clothes that none of them had ever seen before. He was wearing red robes flowing down to the floor, holding a staff, with a long, white beard and hair.


End file.
